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The Collation

“What manner o’thing is your crocodile?”: August 2017

We’re in the heat of summer (at least here in Washington D.C.) as we approach the end of July. So to help everyone cool off (or at least provide a distraction), we’ve pulled another Crocodile Mystery from our vaults. Tell us, if you would, what exactly is going on in this picture below:

As always, leave your thoughts and guesses in the comments below, and we’ll be back next week with the answer.

Comments

This looks like a title on a book’s leather spine – “Famiglie Celebri Italiane,” or “Famous Italian Families,” by an author with the surname “Litta.”

Alexandra — July 25, 2017

Reply

It’s a copy of “Famiglie celebri italiane” by Pompeo Litta Biumi in the 1800’s. Not sure if that’s normal cover wear and tear or whether the markings are part of your crocodile mystery!

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famiglie_celebri_italiane

LD222 — July 25, 2017

Reply

Mold?

Richard Waugaman — July 25, 2017

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The image displayed is the binding title (spine) of a volume from Litta’s “Famiglie celebri italiane” (1819), a multi-volume series of genealogical profiles of distinguished Italian families. (There are several online matches, with additional details.) Princeton also has a copy, or did.

Maureen E. Mulvihill, Princeton Research Forum, NJ. — July 25, 2017

Reply

a chemical reaction after a ‘treatment’ with a ‘certain oil’, like that spread by the BL, years ago?

christian coppens — July 26, 2017

Reply

just out of a deep-freezer ?

elisabeth bruxer — July 28, 2017

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